What adjustments have you had to do to your fitness regime since you became pregnant?
I am only now starting to make adjustments as the baby bump gets in the way but mostly I have just been keeping my heart-rate at a good level and not working it as hard as I usually would. Running the stairs has been great and you can easily modify with lunging every 2nd step or walking if you need to and the workout is still worthwhile.
Zumba modifcations I have made are not as much jumping around as I would usually do and you can easily modify when teaching the tracks and still give you and your class a great workout.
Another great part about our workouts at the stairs as we can all take the kids and babies in prams you will quite often see a mum lunging or walking the stairs with a baby on the hip or going for run around the track in between so for mums who don’t have a lot of time to workout and have kids these workouts are the key for happy fit mums and babies, toddlers and kids. We are teaching our kids a valuable lesson about staying fit and healthy and they all love it.
What change to your food (and amount you eat ) if any ? are you eating more of anything?
I generally eat pretty healthy but in the first 12 weeks it became a big focus for me as it was the only thing I would think about on hourly basis as the nausea was horrible – it would be anything from lots of carrots to lots of hot chocolates to pasta! The next 12 weeks I felt better and started to eat what I usually ate for breakfast fruit salad, greek yoghurt and special k. I love my fruit and found that I am eating a lot more of it but seemed to still crave things like iced chocolates now and with the cream.
I would usually say hold the cream but now I’m like add it! I am in my last trimester now and I find I am not really that hungry I always eat breakfast and it’s usually a lot of fruit inbetween and then dinner. I am thankful I don’t have cravings for KFC (which I dislike) and MacDonalds although I did have a week where eating hamburgers from here happened 3 times in a week more than I’d probably have in a year.
 
Some people might say you're doing too much exercise - what do you think?
Yes that is quite a common statement I have had or “should you be doing that in your condition?” My body is use to exercise it’s what I did before getting pregnant and what I continue to do. I always listen to my body and if it’s says you have done to much I back off but you generally know how far to push yourself. Pregancy is not a time to set records it’s a time to maintain your fitness so you feel good and you have a quicker recovery post pregnancy, all going well. There are a lot of old school myths about not working out while pregant and it will take time for society to realise it’s okay your not sick your pregnant.
Would you recommend Mums exercise during their pregnancy and to what level?
The benefits for you and your baby working out are fantastic and if your able to keep up with your fitness while being pregnant I would recommend it. Its always important to talk to your doctor or mid-wife about it and even better get a mid-wife that is actively into fitness herself as she will be a great support for you.
The level of fitness depends on what you were doing prior to conceiving if you only walked then keep walking don’t start training to run while pregnant. You will find that by maintaining your fitness your mood levels are great it increases your energy and your recovery after birth is easier. There are so many fitness programmes available now to do while pregnant so if your unsure talk a professional about it or do some research online.
I have 12 weeks to go and my aim is to keeping going till the end if possible, and I’ll just keep modifying as I need to along the way.
 
How soon after baby is born are you going to be doing exercise and what will it be?!!!
Well totally dependent on how the birth goes but I'd like to start back at the stairs around week 3 post pregnancy just walking them and all going well zumba. But like all mums out there the birth is one of those events that you don't know what turn it will take. After having Ethan I was teaching spin 5 weeks after.
I think it will be pretty light workouts in the beginning and after 6 weeks hoping to feel totally normal again and ready to amp it up. I have a keen group of girls keen to train for there first half marathon which will be the Auckland one and also very keen entering the Tough Girl and Guy Challenge again and that's in May.
Roz Ryan
February 2013
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